Past lives - NCIS: LA
by Bendragon
Summary: Gs past - is it easy for the woman at his side to cope with it when it catches up with him?


_Dear readers, thank you for your interest. This time I used a translation program for my story, I`m not quite happy with it, but in spending less time for translating my stories myself I have more time for writing new ones. Please feel free to tell me your opinion about this … I am very interested! Have fun with this story: _

Harriett knew only too well that G hated shopping. He was there as almost all men. He wasn`t interested even in the electric markets, the latest mobile phones, the most popular flat screen TVs. Secretly, she had to smile. Finally, he was constantly supplied with the latest technical achievements for free, well, he had to give them back again, but why look for the largest screen when at the operations center a video screen was on one whole wall, in perfect HD and megapixel resolution. There was nothing new for him! What he just needed new, he tried to avoid to buy, by making excuses and showing emphatic indifference.

At first he had tried to refer to Hettys wardrobe at the headquarters.

"It's for your job!" Harriett had been given back patiently.

On her second attempt to buy a few shirts for him, he was just ordered back while they were still in the parking lot of the mall, because there was a new case!

Today, they had already made it into the building!

Harriett threw G a furtive glance as he walked beside her now.

Gs face was pinched.

He absolutely did not want to be here.

But at his grey shirt the seam was almost completely torn and frayed as he had played a game of basketball with the others. The dark blue shirts gradually faded in the wash. And slowly a few of his shirts were a little tight, because he had gained a bit of weight. Harriett liked that about him.

But it was not so good for the existing outerwear.

She still was working on a reward for him.

"Let us please watch shirts first and then we can have a coffee." she said softly to him and pointed to one of the clothing shops in the ground floor.

"There are shirts ... ow!"

"Sorry Ma'am!"

A school class moved noisily merry over, one of the little boys had jostled her with a cheerful tussle.

His look slid from her now to G.

His eyes were large. For a moment, he opened his mouth.

"Jason?"

Harriett looked surprised to G.

She did not know what to make of it.

`Jason Tedrow 'was a cover name for G, when he was undercover on a mission to convict criminals!

How do children know it?

"Hi Michael!" said G promptly to him.

A tiny smile moved his lips, he patted the boy on the shoulder briefly.

"How are you?"

"Very good."

Michael's blue eyes wandered over Gs face, large, questioningly.

"Why do you not have been for so long with us?"

"Well, you know, Michael!" G went into a crouch in front of him, put his hand on the narrow shoulder of the child.

"Your mum and I were not so well any more together! And that's why I moved out! You've probably noticed that we often quarreled? "

Michael nodded.

"Yes. But Mum quite often cried since you're gone! "

He looked at G.

Harriett saw G briefly turned his head, caught his eye. She felt confused. But she wanted G not to see this!

So they gave him a smile, even if it was a small one.

G looked at Michael again.

"I'm sorry! But ... "

"Are you okay?"

The boy's breathless teacher came and stopped in front of them, looked from one to the other.

"You`re all right, Michael? Anything happened?"

"Everything`s fine!" G assured her quickly and rose again, looked at the woman.

"I know him from the past! Was together with his mother!"

"Ah, yes!"

The woman was immediately quiet and laid her hand on Michael's shoulder, pushed him toward the waiting group.

"Then let us now continue, Michael, the others wait for you! Goodbye! "

She nodded to them.

"Goodbye!" G said, his eyes on Michael, who also gave him a long look.

"Goodbye," said Harriett also.

She felt completely confused.

It impressed her how lovingly G had dealt with the little boy. She knew this from him so far only from Sam's daughter.

Was it true, what he had told Michaels teacher, that he had been with his mother? What apparently means "together" in such a case?

Michaels words supported Gs statement only!

Harriett caught Gs look now as he turned to her.

Shortly he put his hand on her cheek, gave her a quick kiss on the lips. His look was attentive to her.

"You`re okay?"

"Yes." Harriett replied quickly.

She had thought she would come clear with Gs job. She could cope with that! But she realized now how the whole situation with Michael and his mother nagged at her!

And it would not become better!

She needed to talk to him about it!

G nodded.

Obviously, he also seemed to feel the desire to talk. Harriett appreciated that.

"What do you think about when we drink the coffee first?" he asked presently.

Harriett smiled.

"Good idea." she said, letting her hand stroke gently over the front of his shirt.

G nodded.

"Come on!"

He led her to the nearest coffee shop and asked her to choose a place as he took the coffee. Harriett opted for a seat in a corner towards the large windows to the mall.

She felt uncomfortable, even if their gut feeling gave away, that there was no reason for concern.

The case with Michael's mother seemed to be over, no matter what it had been there for.

She knew little about the women before her!

She still knew little about G.

And she hated to be constantly surprised by news. But she could not change that, it goes with G hand in hand!

She watched him as he balanced two coffee cups to her at the table. As their eyes met she smiled at him. G smiled back.

Harriett appreciated high, that he had the same wish to talk to her, wanted to clarify it.

There were times - at the beginning of their relationship - as they sat silently opposite and Harriett had more than once doubted herself - never G! Whether she could really handle it.

"Your coffee!"

G put the cup in front of her on the table and took a seat on the bench on the opposite of her.

"Thank you G!" said Harriett, reached across the table and quickly stroked with her hand over Gs finger.

"It was a few years ago when I had an undercover job!" said G is bluntly. He gently took her hand.

"Kristin's brother was suspected to have made money aside. To watch him better, I had ... I have ..."

It was not often that G had no words.

Harriet looked at him a bit surprised.

"... You've had to get involved with her?"

G nodded slowly.

It was not the expression of their first choice.

But everything else she would not stand!

"Two years ago, I had to contact Kristin again!" G breathed heavily before continuing.

"I was very surprised that she had a child at this time. Michael was four. First I thought he was my son! "

Harriett took her breath for a moment.

Insecure she put her free hand, which was suddenly ice cold, around the warm coffee cup, trying not to show that suddenly she felt confused.

"Would that be possible ... theoretically ... mathematically ... ever?"

Her throat was choked.

The possibility suddenly seemed like an open gap between them, threatened to cut the severe bond of their relationship instantly!

She had to withdraw the conscious effort to respond immediately.

If it already ripped her off her feet, how was G feeling?

"Yes, I think so!" G answered after a long while, sipped his coffee, looked out the window at the Mall

Harriett moved gently her hand from his, stood up, walked around the table and slid onto the bench next to G, put her hand gently on his arm.

"And? Would you like it?" "she said more gently.

G turned his head and looked at her.

His face was very serious.

"I don`t know!" he replied, after a long silence.

"I think ... no! I have no past, I do not even really know me! How should I give a future to a child? "

"Maybe you should not relay on your past so much, Habibi!" she contradicted him gently.

"I`m not wishing for your, but maybe the mystery will never be solved! Or it is a past that you do not like! It might not be good, you just focus on your past and forget the present and the future! "

G looked at her.

His blue eyes wandered over her face. She could not recognize an emotion in it.

G reached for his cup, took a sip of coffee.

"You can say well, if you yourself have a family and know your history!"

It did not sound angry or reproachful. It sounded almost neutral. However, the track of bitterness was to hear only too clear.

Harriett was glad that he said it.

At the beginning he had been always stubbornly silent, had looked angry and offended when the subject came up.

"Yes." she agreed softly.

"But after all, what you`ve been already been through, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed!"

"You don`t need to worry about me!" G replied, sounding distant and cold as never before.

He did not look at her.

For Harriett just another proof of how messed up he was.

She regretted deeply that they had this conversation in public and not at home.

"Yes, I have to, I love you!" she admitted softly, tenderly back, stroking with her hand over his arm.

"Come, let us drink coffee on the way to the car! We can buy shirts another time, hm? "

G looked at her.

His face was almost painful seriously for a long moment before he showed a very small smile. The look in his blue eyes became warm, tender.

He leaned over and kissed her, here in public, quite unusually long, devotedly.

"I'm sorry! I should have told you more! "

Harriett rapidly stroked her hand gently over his scratchy cheek.

"There is definitely so much what you have experienced in your undercover jobs that you don`t always know what might be important! As long as you want to explain it to me, it is okay! Thank you, G! "

Gs smile became a bit more obvious.

"Okay, then let's ..."

She heard his mobile phone.

"Excuse me!"

He kissed her quickly before he pulled it from his pocket and accepted the call.

"Hetty?"

His voice sounded surprised.

His face was serious again.

Harriett saw his eyes slip in her direction.

"Yes, of course! Bye! "

He interrupted the conversation, looked at her.

"I'll take you home! I need to go to the headquarters! Come! "

He took her arm slightly.

Harriett bit back the question of what happened. Very likely he would not tell her anyway!

She took her coffee and got out of the bank.

"I'm sorry!" G said to her, on the way from the cafe.

"Must be urgent when it`s on your day off!" Harriett replied, choosing her words not without ulterior motives.

G stopped.

He exhaled deeply.

"Hetty has just let me know that Michael's mother has tried to contact Jason Tedrow! We need to talk now, what to do! Michael must have told his mother that he had seen me! We need to make sure my cover is preserved! "

Harriet looked at him.

Did not quite understand what he meant.

She felt too confused, too surprised.

The only thing she felt sure was anxiety.

Fear of losing G, learning more about him, what she could not handle! And jealousy!

"Yes ... yes, of course ..."

G opened the car door for her.

As she wanted to get in quickly, he grabbed her arm and pulled her gently to him.

The touch of his lips against hers was hesitant.

Harriett let her hand slowly stroke across the front of his shirt before she got up on her tiptoes and replied his kiss.

"Thank you for telling me all this, G!"

She went on stroking with her hand up to his neck, looked at him.

His skin was a bit sweaty. His breath was warm against her cheek. She could almost feel the movement of his chest against hers.

Nevertheless, she could feel his uncertainty. G did not know how to deal with the situation. Like her!

But she wanted to make it easy for him!

"If it does not work after the third time I`ll go shopping without you!"

Gs smile was very small, very short.

"Is not necessary Kalinka! Once it's done, we will go for it! "

"Thank you, G!"

Harriett again got on her tiptoes, touched his lips gently, G took a long moment before he kissed her, put his arms around her, pulled her closer.

For a moment he held her very tight.

"I have to go," he whispered softly to her then, Harriett felt his hand lightly on her hair.

"I'm sorry!"

"It's all right," she said.

Harriett stroked quickly over his shoulder before she got into the car, G closed the door behind her and got in at the drivers side.

He took her home.

"I'll call you, "he said, in the car, in front of the house, not even getting out. "Take care, please, "she said to him.

G nodded.

He leaned over to her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Harriett could see that he was no longer in his thoughts with her.

She stroked with his hand quickly over his leg, then got out of the car and slammed the door.

G drove off immediately.

Harriett walked slowly to the house, took out her key and unlocked the door, walked down the hall to her apartment.

She still felt confused, uncertain, perplexed.

Previously she had always imagined to be able to deal with all facts of Gs job. But gradually, she had to admit that it was probably been presumptuous!

This situation alone was enough to make her upset.

She tried to pull together.

This was now the best opportunity to show that she could deal with it! She was strong! So far she had not been discouraged!

It was more difficult as the rest of the day G not reported. When he did not come home. When she did not hear from for the next day!

Harriett held the whole time the word undercover in her head firmly. She knew that actually everything was fine!

Sam would get in touch with her if something was wrong.

G was fine. He just worked. He took a job in which he was damn good. He got in this job who-knows-how and it gave him joy. He was called for it!

And then, almost her mouth dropped open when she saw G the next day at the mall. She recognized him hand in hand with a woman with shoulder-length dark hair and accompanied by the boy, that G had called Michael the day before.

She quickly squeezed between the rotating stands at a stationery store.

G looked relaxed.

Not in the least as listless as shopping with her!

Michael said something to him.

G smiled and stroked briefly over his shoulder.

The gesture seemed very affectionate. Honest.

Harriett swallowed.

She had to take a short look at the woman next to G, she was taller than herself, had longer hair. She was wearing jeans and a shirt, simple, unobtrusive.

G had not seen her.

She took the couple from them without much trouble.

What did G tell her?

Michael was six years old? And so about six years this undercover job was ago?

For how long he had had to deal with this strange woman?

Surely he had slept with her!

What - and now she leaned far out of the window - when Michael really was his son?

What to make with a child that was not planned? Or was it even a planned child? Paid the State in such a case actually for the upkeep?

It hit her in the stomach powerful.

She lay awake far into the night and finally swallowed half a sleeping pill to come to rest. Therefore, she slept until noon the next day.

Dazed she phoned the coroner office and reported sick.

Then she took a whole sleeping pill and crawled back into her bed.

She wanted to rest for a few hours. Forget for a few hours. It would do her good, and the next day, when she was rested again, she would be certainly be able to deal better with Gs absence.

It was dark when she woke up. 1:20 clock in the middle of the night.

She still felt tired and dizzy.

But half a sleeping pill would not hurt to forget, certain to remain calm!

It was so nice not to have to think!

First there was just shaking at her shoulder.

Then there was added a pat on her cheek, not painful, but emphatically.

"Harriett! Harriett, what about you? Harriett, can you hear me? Come on, open your eyes! "

She knew the voice.

It did not belong to G.

With trouble she opened her eyes, blinked.

"Sam?"

She did not know whether she said it or just thought.

Sam had slightly bent over her, his hand was warm on her cheek. He looked down at her, worried.

"Harriett, what's wrong? You`re sick? "

"What ... what are you doing here?"

She raised slowly a little bit, she felt dizzy, her head was empty.

It was almost bright in the room.

It was day. She had to work.

"Rose has called us because for three days you did not show up for work!"

Sam sank down on the bed, she looked at him. His look was calm but very concerned.

"You did not answer your phone, so Hetty has sent me to look after you! G does also worry about you! "

"G."

Harriett slowly stroked with one hand, imprecise, over a fold in the sheet.

Reluctantly she remembered that G was not there.

That he was on an undercover job!

"What have you taken, Harriet?"

Harriett felt that Sam very gently pulled her left eye lids slightly apart, looked at it closely.

"I've just taken a sleeping pill. I ... could not sleep because G is not here! I haven`t tolerated, perhaps! "

"Just one, Harriett?" Sam asked softly.

Harriett had to think.

It was hard for her.

"No ... not one ... two? I'm confused ... "

Her head was still empty.

She wanted to sleep.

"Not more than two, Harriett? Really?" Sam urged her gently.

"Come on, please, this is important!"

"How is G?"

She could only watch Sam in difficulty, her eyes would not stay open.

"He's worried about you." Sam let her know.

"Hetty and he are going to end the case! Did you really take not more than two pills?"

"Maybe ... three? I don`t know, Sam. Not many ... I could not sleep ... "

She felt Sam still looking at her.

G would soon be back with her. All would be well!

"Get some staff!" Sam said softly.

"You`ll come with me!"

Harriett understood the meaning of what he said not immediately.

She realized just only that G would soon be back with her. As long as this takes she could stay in bed!

Sam stood on the edge of the bed and looked around the bedroom. Then he reached for the jacket of her jogging suit, put it on the blanket.

"Here, Harriett … put that on!"

Harriett wanted to stay in her bed. She might as well wait here for G!

But Sam was adamant.

He helped her put on the jacket and led her to his car, pushed her softly into the passenger seat.

Then he went to the driver's side and took her to his home.

Kendalya, Sam's wife, greeted her with a comforting hug, Harriett was now awake enough to feel her pitying look all too well.

Gradually she began to feel ashamed.

Sam has already been on undercover missions! How could she stand it?

She just hoped that Sasha, Sam and Kendalyas daughter, would not see her in her desolate state.

Kendalya brought her into the guest room and pushed her gently to the bed.

"Do you need something?" she said as she gently pushed down on the mattress.

Harriett just wanted to crawl into the pillows.

"No, thank you ... Kendalya, thanks for everything!"

"No problem!" Kendalya stroked with her hand gently over her shoulder.

"I'll bring you a glass of water!"

"Thank you!"

Harriett watched her for a moment as she left the room.

Then she slipped off her sneakers and crawled under the covers.

She closed her eyes. Searched a comfortable position on the pillow for her head.

The bedding smelled strange. Other detergent.

She felt herself dazzling away:

Special Agent G Callen had been for weeks nothing more but a thick file on her desk! He had been summoned to the health service of the NCIS to be written for duty again, after he had been on sick leave for five months after a shootout in May.

Harriett knew by heart the extensive hospital report.

He had been struck down with five bullets near his apartment! In the emergency room of the hospita he had a cardiac arrest, but had been successfully revived! The doctors had treated him after surgery for three days in an induced coma.

The bullet in his right forearm had scratched a nerve and a bone, the first six weeks the ability to move his arm was restricted. Another bullet had torn a hole in his lung and caused a massive internal bleeding, like the one that hit his spleen.

Actually, it was a miracle that he was still alive.

And actually it was not one, that he skipped the appointments at the health service after so much experience at the hospital!

After two weeks Callen had escaped from the hospital. Had his rehab appointment cancelled! Was submerged!

Just last month, they received his application for work.

But he missed the dates for his examinations one after another!

After the third Harriett had to call Callens superior!

Hetty Lange had promised to take care of it. Angry!

Callen still did not appear.

Then, in late September, Harriett met a man in the hallway, feeling visibly uncomfortable down here.

"Can I help you?"

Actually, she could only see to his incredible blue eyes.

He was wearing jeans, a dark blue shirt with casual rolled-up sleeves.

Then she saw the round scar on his right forearm.

"You are ... Mr. Callen? Sorry ... Special Agent Callen? "

"Yes."

His look to her was a touch irritated, worried.

Harriett was surprised a little, that this rough-looking man with his hair so short, the day-old beard, seemed so nervous.

She was sorry.

"This is nice! Come with me, please, and we see that we can get it for you as quickly and as effectively as possible across the stage, hm? "

She knew the gesture with which she extended her hand and gently touched Callens arm, not from herself by now.

"Right now?"

Callen clearly turned to leave.

His feet were suddenly towards the exit of the corridor. He looked down the windowless hall.

"I just wanted to make an appointment!"

Harriett searched for his eyes.

"Come, Special Agent Callen! We are almost done! "

Callen looked at her.

A very small smile twisted his mouth very shortly.

Harriett took it as a good sign that his look remained at her. But he moved an inch further towards the exit.

"You must excuse me ... I'm a little nervous! Fear of needles! "

Harriett nodded carefully.

He trusted her, gave her information. She could work with that!

"Yes." she agreed easy to him.

"I`ve read your report from the hospital. There is really a lot what you`ve been through! I would like to point out that I'm telling you first what we intend to do with you at all, explaining everything you want to know. You can then say whether we are already doing something today or if you prefer to come back! And if it`s necessary, there are patches that numb the skin so that you do not feel the needle! "

"Really?" asked Callen.

It sounded hopeful.

Harriett nodded and looked at him seriously.

"And I would not hesitate to use it!"

The smile on Callen's face was still short, but a bit clearer.

"Okay. Where do we start? "

He still sounded nervous, short of breath.

Harriett could see his chest under the dark blue shirt lifted and lowered too quickly. She saw little beads of sweat between the dark beard hairs on his upper lip.

"We just go into my office, sat down and you show me your arm!" she replied as calmly, as natural as possible.

"Then we consider what you want to do today, if you simply just want to pee into the cup, maybe run through the full program or even want to come back later?"

She tried hard to use this casual expression.

It had its effect.

Callen almost had a small laugh.

She saw amusement in his beautiful blue eyes.

"I agree."

"Wonderful."

Harriett felt herself now even getting nervous a bit.

The responsibility was enormous.

If she succeeded now, if she`ll do a good job she would encourage Callen, for further injections or blood samples.

If she screwed up here, however, it would even become worse!

But actually she was quite good at it.

At least patients assured her in that again and again. And she realized that on them.

"Please!"

She opened the door to her office, let Callen went ahead.

His steps were slow.

She tried not to notice it.

"Sit down, please! There, next to the desk! Please! It happens nothing yet! "

Callen took a seat at the blue plastic chair next to her desk.

And then did something Harriett incredibly impressed.

He immediately stood up again and looked over to her as she closed the door.

She understood the gesture immediately.

He did not want to sit as a man while she was still standing!

"Thank you, Special Agent Callen, this is very nice! Now I would love to take a look at your arm! Just look at it! "

Callen pushed the sleeves of his shirt up over his right elbow.

Harriett automatically turned her eyes on it.

Two veins crowded there almost in sight. One in the center, and the other a bit further out. Seductive.

With gentle determination she put her hand on his arm, turned it a little to the light.

"Looks quite good! What do you want to know Special Agent Callen? We have the order to X-ray your lungs, to examine blood and urine, and to make a stress test! What are you most concerned about? "

She looked at him questioningly.

She got a little too close to him.

She could feel the heat of his body, he smelled after a fresh shower gel.

Callen looked at her.

His look wandered over her face, looked for a moment distracted by the pending investigations.

"Let's get this behind us." he said abruptly, sat down on the chair and made a fist with his right hand while he held the sleeve up with his left.

"I find that very good, Mr. Cal ... Special Agent Callen!"

Harriett did not want to let him know how surprised she was. This could have an unsettling effect!

She touched him very lightly on the shoulder.

"Please, come with over!"

Callen sat there and looked at her.

It almost seemed Harriett, as if it was already over with the approach of his courage.

"I'll be better off if you are laying down!" she said to him patiently, for so lightly as possible.

"Then your arm is perfectly straight and we will have no problems!"

It was a lie.

She wanted him laying, she wanted not to risk under any circumstances, that he collapse. But she could not say this to him!

"Please!"

She tried to put her request in this one word, not their persuasiveness.

Harriett was actually quite good with men.

She was not a blonde, delicate beauty, not a doll, but she saw this as her advantage!

Some men were biased in the presence of beautiful women.

She felt not able to judge Callen if he would been into the type Supermodel or if he could think better.

By matters of national security she hoped for the last one!

Callen actually stood up. Slowly. Hesitant.

"Let`s go!"

Slowly, she wondered why her fingers again caressed towards his arm.

With her right hand she pointed to the next room.

Callen walked slowly into the direction.

Harriett pointed at the stretcher.

"Please, make yourself comfortable!"

Callen looked at her.

"This is certainly not necessary!" he said, in another burst of bravery.

However, he sounded a little hesitant.

Harriett nodded in agreement.

"Yes. I'm sure! Please, make yourself comfortable, Special Agent Callen! "

Callen looked at her confused.

But obedient he sat down at the edge of the stretcher. And laid down on the soft surface after a few seconds more of hesitation.

"Wonderful. Thank you! "

She went to the shelf on the other side of the room and put together in a kidney dish what she needed, wipe, dry and with alcohol to disinfect, a bandage, a tourniquet, the different colored tubes for the blood and the needle for it.

Normally 1er were taken for venipuncture, Harriett decided now for a 12er.

If it had been Sam Hanna there would be no choice. She always feared anyway, that in his muscled arms the stable needle would broke.

But now she had the absolute ambition to prove Callen that blood samples could even be "uncomfortable" instead of "painful"!

She distributed the swab over the needle, took the wedge pillow, trying to keep the whole dish outside Callens attention while she went back to the stretcher.

Callen was visibly tense.

His face had lost some of its tan.

He was breathing too fast, she could see the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

Small beads of sweat were clearly visible on his pale forehead.

Harriett gently placed the tourniquet around Callen's right upper arm and pulled it tightly, lifted Callens arm and then put the wedge pillow underneath.

"Nothing happens yet!" she assured him, pulled with her foot out the stool from under the bunk and sat on it.

Callens eyes was somewhere on the ceiling.

Harriett ran her fingers gently over the two veins on his arm.

Bulging, they invited almost to puncture, his skin was warm, soft, fortunately not scarred by numerous punctures at the hospital.

"I now disinfect your arm first, which is cool and wet," she informed him, wiped with a damp alcohol swab slowly over the two veins.

She still could not decide.

She quickly took a testing look at Callen.

His breathing sounded heavy.

His chest rose and fell rapidly. As before, he avoided eye contact! For Harriett perfectly fine in this situation!

"We now finish it quickly!"

She took the outer vein between thumb and forefinger, reached with the right hand to the brown tube, shook the swab from the needle and flicked off the previously loosened cap.

A moment before she pushed the needle into the vein, she pinched the nails of her thumb and index finger into Callen's skin.

He groaned softly.

His arm trembled a little as he convulsed.

Harriett solved quickly the tourniquet with her left hand.

She felt a bit of relief that it was so far gone so well.

She gently fixed with the left hand the needle, observed how the blood flowed in, and out of the corner of her eye that Callen had apparently stopped breathing.

He was rigid.

She almost had to smile a little.

Carefully she drew the blood further into the tube, trying to move the needle as less as possible in his vein.

Then she put her right hand gently on Callens side.

"You would do me a huge personal favor if you continue to breathe, Special Agent Callen!"

He was pale. Beads of sweat stood on his forehead.

"Does it hurt?" she asked him now, intentionally haunting.

Callen hesitated. Seemed to listen seriously to himself.

"Yes." he then admitted honestly.

Harriett appreciated that.

"What do you feel?"

"Dizzy."

Harriett nodded approvingly as she watched more closely Callen.

"Yes. That comes from irregular breathing. As long as you are here laying is nothing happening! And what else? "

"Very good."

Harriett nodded in agreement.

She changed the tube carefully.

Callen still looked tense. But not so cramped.

Gently she drew the blood into the tube, then moved to third, last.

It was the smallest, purple.

"So, that's it!"

As unconcerned as possible she was looking after two dry swabs in the dish, put it on the tip of the needle and scratched with a fingernail over Callen's skin while she pulled the needle quickly out of the vein.

Callen made a slight whimper.

Harriett let the small tube with the needle fall into the kidney dish, closed the tourniquet over the swabs and pulled it tight.

She looked at Callen.

It took a long moment before he felt her eyes and turned his head.

"Was very good." she said simply to him.

Callen wanted to get up.

Harriett quickly put her hand on his shoulder.

"Stay just a little laying, please! Until I put a bandage on your arm! "

Callen listened to her.

Harriett brought the dish into the next room and labeled the tubes, putting them ready for pick up.

Then she went back into the next room.

Callen stood beside the stretcher.

He just slipped the tourniquet from his arm.

Harriett automatically reached out for it. Then she looked searchingly into Callen's face.

He was still a little pale.

"You have done very well, Special Agent Callen!"

She surveyed the small puncture and put a bandage over it as she was convinced that it would not bleed any more.

"You have done very well!" Callen said. He seemed much more relaxed now, but still disordered.

"Thank you."

The remaining examinations were a walkover.

Harriett saw Callen not again until one morning in November, at the headquarters, where she had stayed with Kensi the evening after she was attacked outside her apartment.

Now she aroused by the laughter of a child. The soft flap of a door.

When she blinked, she saw G.

She blinked strained.

It was G at the door.

When his eyes fell on her now, he noticed that she was awake.

A very small smile twisted his face now as he approached the bed.

"Kalinka"

His voice was soft, concerned.

He sank down on the bed, Harriett felt his hand on her cheek, his quick kiss on her lips.

"How are you?"

Harriett immediately burst into tears. She just could not hold back.

"I'm sorry ... I screwed up ... I know your work ... I thought I can do it better!"

"Yes."

Gs response was very gentle. He pulled her close..

"It's all right! I know it was hard for you! Was it for me too! Please Kalinka, no tears! "

Harriett sniffed. She clung to him. Felt Callen put both arms a little tighter around her, pressed her to him.

Slightly rocked her back and forth.

She had missed his warm body against hers. Its strong proximity.

The touch of his lips against her hair was soft.

Harriett swallowed hard.

She emphasized her hand over his chest, searching for his eyes.

"It must have been exhausting for you?"

Callen did not respond.

"What was going on?" he asked softly, tenderly.

"I could not sleep because I missed you and I've probably taken one sleeping pill too much." she retorted.

She felt that G looked at her searchingly, suspicious.

"Sorry." she added.

G shook his head slightly.

"Do not mention! It's ... not so easy for a relationship! If such a thing again ... we need to work safely on it! Everything`s fine again now? "

Harriett felt as he dug his hand into her hair, so he almost forced her a little to look at him.

She forced a small smile.

She felt a little foolish.

"Yes. And for you? It all worked out well? You have to go back? "

Callen shook his head.

"No. We have finished! Sleep a bit and then we go home, okay? "

He kissed her long, devoted.

"Please, let us go now, G!" she told him, looked at him, put her hand to his cheek. His skin was warm, it touched her heart to feel again the familiar scratching of his stubbles on the inner surface of their hand.

She wanted not to lose him for anything in the world.

"I love you, G!"

She craned her head a little and touched his lips, gently, tenderly.

G kept quite quiet.

Let her kiss happen, enjoyed it, Harriett could see his eyes were slightly closed.

His fingers played gently with her hair.

"Let's go!" he finally whispered to her, looked at her questioningly.

Harriett nodded and pulled back the bedspread.

She thanked Sam and Kendalya, then went on their way home.

Harriett showed Callen in front of the house the blue car, carefully parked next door.

"I saw it in the last few days here more often, G! You told me to tell you about it when I notice something! I could not tell whether a man or a woman is in it so far! "

G nodded.

He let her lead the way into the house, unlocked the door.

"I'll be right back with you," he said to her, pressed a quick kiss on her cheek.

Harriett felt his hand lightly stroking her shoulder.

"I will check out the car out there!"

... The hand pressed simultaneously on her mouth while another hand grabbed her left wrist, her arm was pulled up on her back, painful.

She felt panic for a fraction of a second.

The skin under her nose smelled of G, she felt only too clearly that it was his body pressed hers hard against the car, made it impossible for her to move.

"What are you doing here? Why do you watch the house?"

His voice sounded angry.

He wanted to turn her around.

She struggled for a moment, however, still wanted to enjoy the moment, but against his force she could do nothing.

He turned her around and threw her back against the car.

Then his arms slid down powerless.

Malgorzatta watched any trouble leaving his face. Suddenly it was expressionless, a little pale. His pupils were large.

"Mali ...?"

Gs voice was flat, an incredulous whisper.

Malgorzatta could not hold back her smile.

"Sam said ... it was ... you`re dead?"

She`d never seen G so amazed. She could not blame him.

"But it makes me even more happy to see you`re good again, G!"

Slowly, she let her fingers stroke across his chest.

G put both hands on her cheeks, leaned toward her and kissed her.

Malgorzatta clung to him.

His warmth enveloped her. She had yearned for months for that, she had really hoped that this would happen again. The savageness of his kiss pressed a small groan just out of her.

"G ..."

Malgorzatta put both hands on his as she kissed him, cuddled up.

His weight pressed her against the car still, she could feel his breath quickly against her chest as he kissed her deeply, devotedly, and yet, as if he could not get enough.

His tongue played tenderly, demanding with hers.

His thumbs caressed down her cheeks.

Malgorzatta clasped so tightly with her hands Gs finger as if it was possible for her.

She never wanted to let him go!

"Mali ... what happened?"

Gs lips slid down her cheek, his breath was warm, hastily on her skin.

His eyes wandered over her face.

"How did you manage it? I thought I`d lost you forever! "

Malgorzatta saw his eyes slip to her right hand. To her ring finger and the ring that she wore there, he had given to her in Hawaii, during his marriage proposal!

He pulled her hand to his lips, pressed a long kiss on her ring finger, in front of the precious metal, while he looked at her questioningly.

"Efremil shot me! Our gardener has noticed it and made sure that I came to the hospital. " she told him quickly, still breathless from his kiss.

She held his hand clutching.

"I've got a new identity in the hospital, because the Vendulovas and what I've done before! I was not permitted to contact you, they put me from the hospital directly into a witness protection program! At first I had no chance, they closely monitored me! I was able to get away just a few days ago!"

"Where were you?" said Callen.

His voice was occupied.

His eyes were still on her face, big, confused.

"I had to go to Washington."

"And where do you live here?"

"The Road View Motel. Palm Garden Square. " she gave back.

G nodded.

"Can I come to you?"

His beautiful blue eyes, which she had so long sacrificed, shone. A touch of red lay on his cheeks. He still held her tight. His voice was breathless, excited.

Malgorzatta looked at him.

She squeezed his hands.

"G ... I thought ... forgive me ... it's not my business, but don`t you live with someone?"

She made a rapid movement with her head to the house while her heartbeat going up high in her throat. She was afraid of his answer even though she knew it deep inside her already.

She looked at Gs eyes, slipping back to ring, remain long on it.

"May I, Mali?"

He looked at her.

Her heart raced up to her neck. She could hardly speak.

"Room twohundredfiftyfour, G!"

The trace of a smile flitted across Gs face.

He leaned toward her and kissed her.

Malgorzatta moaned softly.

His strength, his intensity completely overpowered her. He held her so tightly that she could hardly breathe. The warmth of his body enveloped them.

"I come to you later!"

His voice was loud half whisper. You could hear a very slight tremor in it.

"G!"

He let her go, let her stand and walked away, to the house.

Malgorzatta felt that she was trembling. She took a deep breath. Very deep. A sigh equal.

She sat down quickly in the car.

Her hands were shaking.

She did not want to let G go.

She never wanted to let him go again.

She did not know what she'd do without him ever again!

She slid the key into the ignition lock, but could not drive off.

Too many things circled in her head.

Actually, she should have been overjoyed.

But all she could do was thinking about what would be G up to now?

Would he be able to deal with two women at the same time?

She had no idea!

Would he be up to the task?

But it was too late to change now anyway!

She had brought it rolling! Now she had to wait for the result!

It would hopefully be over soon.

Malgorzatta went back to her little cheap motel, parked the car and walked into the building. Only fleetingly she looked around.

She lived here for two days, under a false name, had Washington left secretly searching for G. So far she had hidden any of her tracks.

Now, after the meeting with G, she was a little sloppy, too excited. But she did not care if G would only be with her again!

Thirty-five minutes later there was a knock of her motel room door.

Malgorzatta had cleaned up a bit. Calculated actually not so fast with G.

But when she looked through the small peephole, she saw him in the hallway.

Quickly, she unlocked the door, yanked it open.

"G! I had ... "

He came in, dropped his bags in the small hallway, put both hands on her cheeks and kissed her while he gave the door a shove with his foot, so that it fell into the lock.

Malgorzatta clung to him.

She wanted to look at him, she wanted to read his face, if everything went well for him, but she could just close her eyes as G kissed her, and enjoy it.

He was warm, he held her close to her with his left arm, Malgorzatta felt his right hand on her hair, her cheek, his lips firmly on hers, his tongue demanding in the game with hers, and all of a sudden she wanted him to be as close as it only could be possible.

She dug her hands under his shirt. Thrust then, as always, with her left wrist at the gun on the waistband of his jeans. Even those still familiar gesture made her smile.

His skin was still soft, warm, as she knew it from him, his beard scratched at her lips as she slid down his cheek, his lips on her neck.

"Mali ..."

Malgorzatta felt after a few steps backwards the corridor wall at her back, Gs hands on the way down over her body, to the waistband of her jeans, hastily, as she fumbled with trembling fingers to his belt, opened it.

Gs kiss was impetuous. She could hardly follow him.

And she could not wait to feel his warm skin on hers!

"G ..."

She could not speak as he slipped down her jeans, his hands covered her hips firmly, he urged to her.

You could not even breathe.

His weight pressed her against the wall as hard as possible, he sank his fingers between hers.

She did not know this savageness of G.

So far, their lovemaking has always been very patient, very tender.

Now it was over just as she looked at G, his eyes rested in hers, his sweaty face with flushed cheeks, the expression on his face strained.

For a moment, his eyes became blurred.

A low moan escaped his lips. Only once he moved opposite their movement, heavy, powerful. Then a little tremor went through his body.

Malgorzatta snuggled even closer to him.

She had missed this moment.

This only seconds in which they were quite close, really belonged only to each other, but even now it wasn´t given to her.

G searched for her eyes.

His breathing was fast, hard, his expression a mixture of exhausted and tender.

Malgorzatta only just needed to turn her head a bit to touch his lips, rummaged freely her right hand and laid it gently on his cheek.

"Callen, you animal ..."

She let her face close to his. Felt the heat of his skin against hers. The film of his sweat on her skin. Saw his little smile from the corner of her eye.

G put his hand to her cheek, pressing her head slightly in his direction, forcing her to look at him.

"Too fast for you? I'm sorry!"

Malgorzatta had to laugh.

She touched his lips gently, firmly his lower lip, tasting the salt of his sweat easily.

"It was wonderful, G!"

She ran her hand slowly, tenderly stroking his neck. Again, his skin was sweaty.

"It was always wonderful with you and I've missed it endlessly!"

She could do nothing about it that her eyes slid briefly to his bags on the floor. Secretly, she waited for a statement. One explanation.

At the same time she tried to keep as close as possible with him.

G moaned softly, comfortable, Malgorzatta could see how he closed his eyes for a long moment, obviously enjoying it, to feel the movement of her deep muscles.

However, she could not prevent the slow relaxation, joined by the feeling of slight loss, as always.

"Let's go … next door ... Carmoara meu!" G whispered softly putting a kiss on her lips. He took her face in both hands, Malgorzatta felt his thumb gently caress her skin, his lips against hers.

"G, I missed it so much to hear that from you!"

The stroking of his tongue was tenderly as she spoke.

"I haven`t had the idea to look for you as it was said you were dead! Your file was complete, there was no indication that you're alive! "

It sounded like an apology.

Malgorzatta smiled at him.

"You couldn`t know that!"

She dropped her hands to emphasize his shoulders, while noticing, that G's eyes slid briefly to her left arm.

He grabbed her wrist.

His eyes remained for long seconds on her skin, on the single letter there.

"What is it?"

Gs voice sounded a bit hoarse.

"A tattoo." she replied softly.

G pulled her arm to his lips, pressed a long tender kiss on the black ink under her skin.

Malgorzatta stroked with her right hand slowly the jacket off his shoulder.

G slipped out awkwardly.

Malgorzatta threw the jacket on the little shelf left in the hallway.

Then she searched with her lips for his ear.

"Any time you want to you can turn me on to, anything you want to, any time at all! When I kiss your lips oh I start to shiver can`t control the quivering inside!"

Gs face twisted into a tiny smile.

"I've always turned the radio off when I heard it! Now I can listen to it again! "

"I've always listened to it while I was waiting for you!" Malgorzatta whispered, stroking with the tip of the tongue just above his ear.

Then she continued with her hand stroking down his back, to the waistband of his jeans, she carefully pulled it up to his hips.

"When I saw you the last time at the hospital it was very bad, G! The doctor could not say whether you can get away with it! When I finally found out that you're still alive I could hardly wait for no longer being monitored! "

"I was surprised that you have not visited me in the hospital ... after all ... what was." G gave back in a low voice back.

"Sam has finally found out what you - what has happened - allegedly! He only had access to the faked files! If I had known that there is another truth, I would have wanted you to be with me the day I came back round! "

Malgorzatta looked at him.

She stroked with her hands gently over his head, his short hair, put both hands on his cheeks, looked at him attentively.

"How are you, G?"

She was a little afraid of the answer.

"It's wonderful, now that I have you back!" G whispered tenderly.

Malgorzatta looked at him. Had to smile.

She had seen him a few times together with this other woman. They seemed very familiar with each other. So far she had feared to have lost him to her!

"I do not mean this! You've been hit by five bullets! They`ve operated you for hours! How are you, G? "

"I'm fine."

Malgorzatta nodded.

She felt that it was still too early for this conversation, for both of them. Maybe they would be able to talk later about it in peace, if they both had calmed down emotionally.

For a moment it took her trouble to breathe as G moved away a little from her. He zipped up his jeans. Then he gently kissed her again.

Malgorzatta also pulled her jeans back up.

"Come on!" G whispered softly to her, put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her softly into the room through the small hallway.

It was not a luxury hotel, she did not want to attract attention. Won`t be found in any case.

Therefore, there was only one small bed on the right side, a desk and a chair in front of on the left, a small TV on the desk.

"How long have you been here?" G asked quietly.

Malgorzatta looked at him.

"Two days. Tomorrow I want to look for something new! They should not find me! "

"What are you going to do?" G asked further.

He pulled her gently down on the bed. His voice was still quiet, gentle.

Malgorzatta shrugged her shoulders.

"I had no plans further to the moment I see you again!"

G smiled. He seemed very calm and balanced.

"If I don`t had come to you today ... have you showed up? Harriett said she`d seen you on numerous occasions in front of the house! "

Malgorzatta avoided his eyes for a moment.

She wanted to know as little as possible from the other women!

G put his hand on her cheek and turned her head gently in his direction.

"No ... I do not! I wanted your life ... do not bother ... your new life there! "

"I hope ... my new life is just beginning, now that I have you back!"

Malgorzatta looked at him. In attention.

She saw Gs hand felt stroking down her cheek, down her neck, her shoulder, her chest, her upper body slowly.

He sounded as if for him all was clear.

As if he had planned it long ago!

It was not as if she was unwilling. But purely emotionally she seemed to lay behind him a bit. Probably a purely protective function of her psyche. She had so long to deal with him being away from her.

"Are you really sure you want this, G? I mean ... I don`t know the other women, but you've lived with her! Is it so easy ... for you … to go? "

G looked at her.

His face was very serious.

His hand remained on the waistband of her jeans, warm, his fingers on her skin between pants and shirt.

It made her totally antsy to feel the little touch there. She had longed for it since she were at the hospitable able again to grasp a clear thought.

It seemed to her unbearable to ever have to do without it again!

"Yes!"

Gs voice was incredibly determined, his expression, his posture.

"Harriett is wonderful, she took care of me incredibly, she was patient, always supported me! But she is not … you! And if I really should get the opportunity now ... "

He stopped, looked at her.

Suddenly looked confused. Even seemed to go on some distance.

"You do not look for me ... for days? To tell me ... now ... "

G said no more. Seemed unable.

The look in his eyes was great, stunned on her face.

Malgorzatta never forget how incredibly blue they were. She was ready to take on something else to be able to see once again into!

She gently stroked along with the index finger on his upper lip.

"I was looking for eight weeks and three days after you! I did it because I still love you endlessly! Because I wished to see you again ... and maybe... to be with you! "

"Maybe?" whispered G. His quiet voice was occupied.

Malgorzatta nodded slightly.

"Yes ... maybe. I haven`t seen you for nine months. I could not ... know where you stand ... that you're still on my side yet! "

G leaned toward her and kissed her. He laid his left hand on her head, a very gentle protectively gesture.

Malgorzatta felt his right hand gently stroke under her shirt.

She put her arms around him, clinging to him.

G pulled her close.

Also slipped his left hand under her shirt. His warm fingers wandered slowly, gently over her skin. His kiss was tender.

"What happened to you?" he whispered to her.

His lips caressed her cheek, her neck, down to the neckline of her shirt.

Malgorzatta had to swallow for a moment.

She let her fingers gently stroking the back of his head. Enjoyed the scratching of his short hair on her skin.

"I've been waiting for you." she said then.

"We wanted to meet, you`ve called me, because you had closed a case and you had a little time, remember?"

G grimaced slightly.

Malgorzatta was sorry for a moment to have said like this.

"Of course." G said.

"I mean, not all the details. I remember that we`ve had an appointment. "

"I`ve seen how you`ve been shot down. I've seen the dark van and I`ve heard how Sam has called your name." continued Malgorzatta.

Playful she let her hands wander over his shirt.

"I was allowed to stay at the hospital the first night with you. Sam came in the morning and I was sent home to rest a little. I packed my things and wanted to finish my marriage with Efremil ... I wanted everything clear when it was better with you! Efremil has gunned me down in the bedroom. I woke up in hospital after surgery. Our gardener had heard the shot and called the police, neither Efremil nor his brother have done it! They were both expelled from the country because of their diplomatic immunity, a process was not possible. They`re not allowed to re-enter! I was transferred to another hospital after two days, and then to another, until I finally arrived in Washington. "

"Did your husband know from us?" G asked softly.

Malgorzatta shook her head.

She stroked his hands under his shirt.

Enjoyed the warm softness of his skin. Could not wait to feel it close.

"No, I think not! At best he was guessing something that day … "

She wasn`t able to speak on.

She had seized the hem of Gs shirt and striped it gently over his upper body up, G was slipping out willingly.

Now she saw the three round scars on his torso.

For a moment she gasped for breathe.

G looked at her confused.

"That bad?"

His voice was soft, concerned.

He glanced down at his chest, then looked at her again.

"Does it bother you this much?"

Malgorzatta touched with the finger very carefully the scar right next to his breastbone.

Her heart pounded in her chest. She felt a bit dizzy.

Then she pulled her shirt over her head.

For a moment she saw Gs eyes becoming large.

"You have ..."

His voice was flat.

She had a small round scar right where G had one, right next to her sternum, even almost at the same level.

It had already been two miracles that they had both survived. Now, to have a scar on almost the same spot as G, it appeared to her as faith. It should be so. There welded them together.

G looked at her.

For a moment he looked surprised.

Malgorzatta knew him as a cold, tough federal agent, callous, uncompromising when it came to do a job.

She knew his vulnerable side, deep under distraction and defense.

Now she could feel that he thought something similar like her.

So he just moved his fingertips over her skin, caressing the scar.

"Definitely makes more than a pair of wedding rings!"

Malgorzatta had to laugh.

She liked his black humor.

"Are also much more discreet, hm?"

She put her hand to his cheek and leaned slightly to him, kissed him.

She felt Gs smile.

As he nuzzled his face in her hand. He enjoyed their kiss for a long moment before he finally returned it.

He gently squeezed her with his weight back onto the mattress, let his hands stroke up to their hands, digging his fingers between hers.

His lips slid down her chin, he turned his head and pressed a quick kiss on the letter on her wrist before he bowed over her torso, began to kiss down a line on the upper part of her body.

Malgorzatta had to laugh. She felt flattered.

"Do you like it?" she said simply, easily moving her left hand.

G raised his head, over her hip, and looked at her.

His breath was warm against her skin.

"It's the most beautiful thing a girl has done for me since Malika Charneu in the fourth grade had a heart painted next to a G on her forearm, which went away just after three days!"

"Wow, G, already then the great charmer?" Malgorzatte could not resist as she gently freed her hand from his, tenderly stroking his head with her left hand.

Involuntarily she had to remember, that he wasn`t in a class certainly very long when he had so often changed his foster families.

A miracle that his life had led him to the right side.

Gs smile was a little bit embarrassed.

"What happened to you? What did you do?" he asked quietly.

Malgorzatta enjoyed the caress of his lips, the light dots with the tip of his tongue.

"They`d given me a new identity." she told him softly, stroking with her index finger over his neck.

"I did not want that! But I had no choice, that was arranged from above! Oh, G, this is beautiful, what are you doing ... "

The light circles with the tip of his tongue tickled her navel.

She felt his hand slowly reach to the zipper of her jeans, his fingers opened it carefully.

Every touch of his fingers made her almost wince.

"Then you also get a new name?"

She felt Gs fingertips just as flat, slipping just millimeters under the top edge of her panties.

A small shiver ran down her back. She could not answer right away.

G raised his head and looked at her.

His left index finger playfully stroked over next to her hip.

The look in his blue eyes to her was affectionate, attentive.

"Yes. I'm called Malin now. You can go on saying Mali to me! I would love it! "

She heard G chuckles.

Again, his breath was warm on her belly.

He slipped gently, carefully, remove the jeans from her hips. Pressed a long kiss on her belly button.

"And what surname do you have now?"

Malgorzatta saw on the back of his head. In his short hair with translucent bright scalp.

"My name is now Callen."

G raised his head and looked at her.

He usually was hard to amaze.

It was the first time that Malgorzatta experienced that on him.

Likewise, she could feel that he was flattered.

"I thought we spare ourselves the whole circumstance with Romania and the goats and the cheese!"

G chuckled.

It sounded unmistakably amused.

"And since I'm away from Washington, I'm back with a different name on the go." she added quietly.

G slid slowly from the bed.

He slipped his jeans down, then slowly leaned over her, slid onto the mattress.

"Then we should make it official as soon as possible, should we?"

His voice was unmistakably affectionate, warm. His eyes rested on her face. Malgorzatta almost stopped her breath.

Because of what he had said and to enjoy the tenderness even better slowly she cuddle up to G.

All of a sudden she had again the pleasant effort to breathe against him.

"... What you`ve just said?"

She watched his face closely.

Again were small beads of sweat on his forehead. For a few seconds his look was absent. He laid motionless.

He had become heavier.

She had a bit more in her hands as she let them stroke down his sides.

Has the other been a good cook? In this area, she hadn`t the slightest ambition.

"G?"

Very gently, she changed her position a little, let her hands go up again to emphasize his broad shoulders.

G looked at her.

His little smile was gentle.

He softly kissed her. Let his hand lightly stroking over her left wrist.

"Where is your bracelet?"

"Has been nicked at the hospital." she answered truthfully.

G made a little uncertain sound.

His eyes were on her face while he began to move very carefully.

Malgorzatta had to close her eyes.

Actually she loved it, watching G when they make love, watching his face as he enjoyed, it as he struggled for them, as he finally surrendered to it.

But now she felt overwhelmed, feel so close to him, again with him, it brought up old memories and made her - above all - realize how much she loved him.

"It is so beautiful with you, G ... I've missed it so much!"

She looked up at him, her fingers move slowly over his shoulders.

His skin was sweaty. On his upper left arm he also had a small round scar. It felt hard, in contrast to the surrounding skin.

She felt Gs thumb over her left wrist stroking. A little tight, almost as if he wanted to make sure it was real. She noticed that it fascinated him.

"What did you do in Washington? How did you live? What have you worked on? "

G craned his head a little and kissed her, then let his lips caress her cheek, down her neck.

"I had a small apartment ... two rooms ..."

For a moment she could not speak.

Gs lips, his tongue against her skin made it difficult for her to concentrate.

Gladly she would have devoted herself to him.

But she did not feel ready yet. For too long she had missed talking to him while they were loving each other, to watch his raising distraction, knowing to well, being partly responsible for it.

"... And I worked in a pharmacy ... "

She could not suppress a small sound of well-being.

G looked at her.

Smiled tenderly as their eyes met.

His face was sweaty.

He moved a little slower.

Kissed her.

"You are still quite got it, G!" she whispered, stroking with her hand slowly from his shoulder to his neck, over the freckle there up to his cheek. She let her fingers slowly stroke from his cheek to his forehead, with his forefinger gently wiping away the sweat.

Gs smile became a bit more obvious.

A little bit proud.

"You like it?" he whispered to her softly.

"`Like it` is far understated."

Malgorzatta even slipped a little under him, snuggled a little closer to him.

"When you get back ... suddenly ... something of which you're thinking ... You`ve lost it forever ... Then this is just gorgeous ... as with you now ... here!"

"I love you, Mali!"

G slid his arm under her neck and pressed her head so a little closer to his, kissed her.

She felt his movements again becoming a bit more intense.

"G ..."

She saw his eyes becoming absent. She knew the gesture with which he put the head back. A low moan escaped his lips.

"Mali ..."

She knew all too well the movement, with which then G pulled her close, he groaned, dug his hand into her hair as he pressed his sweaty face against hers.

Without meaning to, she wondered whether it had probably been the same for him with Harriett! She felt the slight tremor that ran through Gs body, his last powerful movements almost a little painful against her body.

He held his head with a small gasp still against hers. G pressed himself so closely to her that she could feel the frantic pounding of his heart against her chest. How both their sweat mingled on her skin.

She closed her arms around his back.

Enjoyed the feeling in her heart that slowly subsided.

G raised his head from her shoulder and looked at her.

Malgorzatta smiled.

G dug his hand from under her shoulder out and passed it through his face, wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Was again too fast for you?"

His voice was occupied, he gasped for breath.

Malgorzatta avoided his eyes not. She gently placed her hand to his heated cheek, stroking his thumb gently over his sweaty skin.

"No. It was wonderful for me, G! We both might be a little out of practice what the synchronicity means. But that's not something we would both do not unravel with practice, right? Please do not ...! "

Just now she had noticed that G wanted to lie beside her, quickly closed the arms a little tighter around him.

"I like it still if you stay a bit. Or is ... is it uncomfortable for you? "

Gs smile was small. Exhausted.

He kissed her inaccurate.

"It feels so incredibly good, so close with you, but I'm too heavy for you. I've gained some weight since ... well ..."

Malgorzatta craned her head and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

G held her lower lip for a few seconds very gently with his teeth firmly, shoving his hand under her head, kissed her passionately. He was still slightly out of breath.

Then he looked at her.

"You mean, we get that back ... that we, you know ... both together ..."

Malgorzatta bit back an amused smile. It was so sweet of him that he worried about. It managed to make her smile tenderly.

"This is so sweet from you, so that you`re thinking about that! But we can! We will! We managed this pretty fast, didn`t we? Please don`t worry about! "

She looked up at him.

Gs smile was small. He suddenly looked tired.

Malgorzatta this time made no attempt to keep him close as he kissed her and then slipped beside her.

She turned to him.

G pulled her into his embrace, held her close.

Malgorzatta felt his deep exhale, nearly like a sigh.

With her head on his left shoulder she could feel the rapid beating of his heart strong against her cheek.

Gently she let her hand stroke over his chest. His skin was dull with sweat. His fine hairs tickled her fingertips. The tops of her fingers came easily to his scar to the right of the sternum.

"How did you come here, Mali?" she could hear Gs voice half loud.

His hand stroked lightly over her shoulder.

"I flew in three days ago," she replied quietly.

"Actually, I had not really expected that it worked. But the wrong papers were very good."

"You have false papers?" said G.

His voice was serious.

Malgorzatta raised herself up a little and looked at him.

She stroked with her index finger gently over his hairline. Gs eyes were small. He was clearly tired.

"Yes. I had to. If they noticed that I'm gone, they have tracked me down with my beautiful new name in no time."  
She heard G chuckles. Felt it against her chest.

"How did you get them so fast?"

"Like you would do, G. If you are new in a city, you know very quickly which area you better steer clear! And there are the people that you get the wrong papers from. If you have enough money, they become really good! "

G yawned suppressed.

Malgorzatta had a little smile as she let her eyes wander lovingly over his face.

G tired was almost unknown to her. So far, she had noticed that he never slept much. But a lot of things could change in nine months!

"What are your future plans?" G asked her now, let his eyes wander over her face.

Malgorzatta felt his fingers play with your hair.

For a long moment she just enjoyed it just to see his slightly tanned skin stood out against the bright linens. Small wrinkles under his eyes.

The dark beard hairs on his chin scratched her skin as she slowly stroked with her index finger over it.

"Honestly, I never thought further than to the point where I meet you again!"

Her gut feeling spoke against it, but for her it sounded as if their paths would separate soon.

As if had G - despite what he said – his own plans. She felt insecure.

On Gs tired face she could tell that he noticed her irritation. However, his tender smile, the calm look of his beautiful blue eyes assured her immediately.

His hand slid down her neck, he pulled her head a little to his down and kissed her strongly.

"If you like, we plan together!"

She could smile again immediately.

Stroked with the outer side of her fingers lightly over his scratchy cheek.

"I would love it, G!"

G smiled. Tired.

"What have we got? An insecure accommodation, your car hired ... "

He looked at her questioningly. Malgorzatta nodded.

"... Mrs. Callen on the run from the witness protection program ..."

He went quiet as she placed her index finger gently to his lips, looked at her questioningly.

Malgorzatta had to swallow. Her throat was suddenly tight.

She only could whisper.

"Can you please say that again? That sounds so good when you say that! "

"What?" G looked at her, took a moment.

"Mrs. Callen."

He repeated it, very clearly, very slowly, very gently.

"It sounds wonderful."

He kissed her tenderly.

"We should make it official. Quickly. We can go to Vegas and get married. Then we`ll take a few days off. Or do you like to go to Hawaii again, Cormoara meu? It was really wonderful there with you! "

He looked at her.

Hawaii was seductive. To marry him more than anything else!

"If this is a proposal again, I can finally accept it, G! And I would love it! "

G smiled. Affectionate. And somehow a little in relief.

"Yes. This is my proposal, Mali. Another one! "

He kissed her. His eyes rested on her face.

"Are we going tomorrow? Or now? "

Malgorzatta felt infinitely flattered.

This tough federal agent, who would be 40 years old in a few weeks, sounded expectant like a little boy.

"Thank you, G!"

She touched his lips firmly, gently, searched for his eyes.

"You don`t have to work?"

"My contract says that I get two days off for my marriage!" G said.

Malgorzatta had to laugh.

She leaned over him and kissed his lips, his forehead, his cheek.

"We`ll get a nap and then we go, hm? You`re tired."

"Had a busy undercover operation the last days." G admitted.

"And Harriett ... it didn`t went so well with her! She hardly cope with it!"

Malgorzatta stroked with the fingers gently over his face, through his short hair.

She struggled with it.

"How did she take it?" she asked softly then.

G shook his head slightly.

He ran his hand through his face.

"Not good ... she was crying ... but I`m sure I`ll get no third chance with you! I had to go! "

He sounded defensive.

Malgorzatta was far away from blaming him. Finally, she was the winner. Because of that she found it easy to feel sorry for Harriett!

"Thank you, G !"

She bent down to him and kissed him slowly, tenderly. His words touched her.

G returned her kiss.

He was stroking his hand from her head over her neck to her back.

"I had to go," he said again.

"I love you." she whispered to him.

"I love you too!" G said.

She laid her head on his shoulder,

Enjoyed it as G put both arms around her, held her close.

She felt his heart pounding against her cheek.

His skin was warm to hers

It was almost quiet in the room. Through the closed window of the noise of the nearby main road was to hear silently.

Gradually the feeling of happiness was established.

This ease. This freedom. The feeling finally coming to rest, to have achieved what she waited for so long. Almost to have finally arrived. Arrived at their destination.

She exhaled.

She felt Gs hand lightly stroking her shoulder.

At best, they had dozed off.

When she opened her eyes she looked seamlessly straight into Gs face.

He lay on his side, his head resting on his left hand, the blanket pulled up to his waist, and looked at her.

Outside the window behind him it was dark.

For a long moment she felt disorientated.

"G ...?"

She struggled a bit, stretched out her hand to him, stroked over his arm.

"Did you sleep a little bit?"

She remembered that he had always slept badly.

G nodded.

He grabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips, placed a long kiss on it.

"You're still so beautiful when you sleep!"

Malgorzatta had to smile. Stirred.

She felt herself blushing.

"Thank you, G."

"Your hair's grown longer!"

He let his fingers ran slowly through her hair playfully.

"And you have gained a bit of weight! You're even more beautiful than you was then! "

Malgorzatta felt her cheeks burn. Embarrassed.

"Really?"

"Certainly, Mali!" assured her G and it sounded very honest.

She slipped a little over to him, put her arm around his neck and cuddled up to him, kissed him.

"And you can still make such nice compliments! Do you know what time it is?"

"Shortly after half past eight."

Malgorzatta nodded and looked at him searchingly.

"How are you?"

"Very good."

She believed him.

"I could use a bite to eat."

Malgorzatta listened to herself.

"Me too. Unfortunately the hotel has no service. We have to get out. '"

G shook his head slightly.

"I'll get us something! If you are fled the witness protection program, maybe they are looking for you already! I need to get you to Vegas absolutely safe. As the wife of a federal agent, we can do much more if they`ll track you down. As my wife! "

Malgorzatta had the impression that he enjoyed the small annex. It touched her.

"It sounds amazing when you say that, G!"

"Do you think, Mrs. Callen?"

She had rarely seen G so relaxed. It was nice to see him like that.

She cuddled up a little closer to him.

He was warm.

His kiss was tender, he held her close.

Malgorzatta let her hand slowly stroke over his shoulder, his chest, felt the tickling of the hairs at her fingertips.

Only under the blanket, on his hip, his small paunch, she could hold back.

"You wanted to get food, hm?"

"What do you want?" G asked back softly.

Malgorzatta shrugged her shoulders.

"It's a Kentucky around the corner. Something for you, isn't it?" "

G nodded briefly.

His eyes were still on her face.

Malgorzatta felt that he actually did not want go, did not want to leave her. She also did not wanted to let him go!

She could not even get her hand off him!

"We could also starve here."

G chuckled.

"A nice idea, together with you!"

He put his hand on her head and gently pulled her to him, kissed her.

"What do you want? What shall I bring you? "

"It doesn`t matter! Chicken is always perfect! I always like to eat it! "

G nodded slowly. Kissed her quickly.

Then he slipped out of the bed, got dressed, went to the bathroom.

He came back into the room, looked around, walked into the small hallway and pulled his jacket over.

Malgorzatta enjoyed simply for a long moment to look up to him as he walked through the rooms.

Then she slipped out of bed and quickly got dressed.

G came to her and gave her a kiss.

"Do you have a cell phone? A clean one? "

"Yes."

She reached for it and looked at him questioningly.

"You hand me your number?"

"You get me yours?"

"Of course."

G drew his little phone from the pocket of his jeans.

He left the hotel room after they had exchanged numbers, Malgorzatta went to the bathroom.

After that she could not do without looking at his bags, laying still on the floor.

She enjoyed it simple, that it were there.

Her mobile phone rang.

It was G.

He let her know that he would come back a little later. That he wanted to get something done.

Malgorzatta had to swallow for a moment. For seconds she felt something like a tinge of panic. She forced herself to quell it. And respond rationally.

"Yes, is good. Thank G. Take care! "

"It does not take long." G said.

Actually passed half an hour until he returned.

Malgorzatta had tried to clean up a little, to make the room a little homelike.

She heard the key card on the door and then she saw G came in the hallway, with a large paper bag in his hand.

"Hello."

He searched her eyes, smiled as their eyes met.

"Hello."

She remained standing in the doorway.

"Does everything went well?"

"Are you okay?"

G put the bag down on the table. He took off his jacket, took something out of the pocket before he threw it over the back of the chair.

"You`ve told me your bracelet had been stolen at the hospital," he said softly to her. He slowly opened the elongated jewelry box.

"I think it's nice if you have a bracelet and maybe you like this ... until we have a new one for you!"

Malgorzatta held her breath for a moment.

In the jewelry box was a paper-thin rose-gold bracelet with a small heart pendant, in which glittered a tiny stone.

`For you 'was engraved underneath.

"G ..."

"Is nothing special, but I wanted something nice for your today ... in memory of this day, which is perhaps just as important for you as for me it is!"

"G ..." said Malgorzatta again, almost overwhelmed, put her hand to his chest.

"That's so sweet of you, thank you! This day today is just as important to me as the day when I saw you for the first time in Kiev and then again in Rio! The three most important days in my life! "

She looked at Gs small smile.

"No other important day in the life of a married woman?"

Malgorzatta could not blame him. He went for it. And she gave it to him only too happy.

"I'll probably be married tomorrow! And that will be an important day for me, too, because you will be the one I marry! Hopefully! "

G smiled.

He bent over to her and kissed her, left his face so close to hers that she could feel the movement of his lips against hers.

"Mali, I`m so incredibly glad that you're back with me!"

"I`m so incredibly glad that I can be with you again," she whispered back, had to swallow tight for a moment.

"Come on, you`ve said you're hungry! Eat something before it gets cold! And I would be glad if you put it around my wrist, please! It`s wonderful, thank you! By the way, where did you get it from at this time?"

She held her left wrist against him while questioning.

Gs smile became a bit clearer.

"I'm a federal agent!"

He took the thin metal chain from the box, laid it gently around her wrist, closed the very small closure.

Malgorzatta had the vision, him pressing his ID from the outside against a shop window of a jewelry shop, already closed, and forced inlet for a moment.

"Thank you, G ... it's so beautiful!"

She looked at her wrist, proud, flattered.

Then she stood up on her tiptoe and kissed him.

"Although, nothing looks more beautiful on my arm as you do!"

G laughed. Also flattered.

"You're wonderful, Mali! I love you! "

He stroked her cheek with his lips.

Malgorzatta turned him gently towards the table, pushed him there.

G laughed as he let it happen.

Malgorzatta had the impression that he had bought the menu once complete.

There was chicken in all possible variations, there were side dishes and she really did not know what they should eat at all. She was not hungry.

She just wanted to sit there and watch G.

"Shall we bring your car back after we`ve finished?" he asked her.

Malgorzatta nodded immediately.

It was more than right to her to eliminate any traces of their `forced` life as quickly as possible.

"Very good idea."

G nodded slowly.

He wiped his hands on a napkin, drank his coffee.

"You`ve said you were there when I was shot! What have you seen?"

Malgorzatta thought it over for a moment.

"You've been sitting in the car with Sam." she said then.

"You were in a white shirt. I was in the parking lot of your apartment. I was waiting for you and you just reached the little fruit shop on the corner as the black van came down the road. The shots came from there, it does not stop! Passersby have shouted and threw themselfs behind the parked cars for cover, it was so loud and so terribly confused everything. When it was over you laid on the ground, Sam was with you and all I could do was to call the ambulance! "

G nodded slightly.

"Could you see how many there were? Would you recognize anyone?"

Malgorzatta tried to remember.

"I think ... two! I do not know exactly. It all happened so fast and I was so scared when you were laying there on the ground! I could not even remember the license plate! I'm sorry! You have not yet ... the men who fired on you?"

"Yes." G replied back short.

Malgorzatta looked at him.

"It`s a long story! Had to do with an old case from my time at the DEA. "

He continued and then she had the impression that it was somewhat reluctantly.

"Stanhope`s still waiting trial for it ... and for a few other murders he had ordered!"

Malgorzatta had the impression that his voice trembled just for a split second.

She felt it more than she really heard it.

Slowly she stroked with her hand over his arm.

"What do you remember, G?"

G was silent for a long moment.

"The last thing I know is that I sat in the car with Sam. Then I woke up in the hospital. Hetty was sitting on my bedside. Sam came. I've been waiting for you. I could not imagine why do you not came to visit me. After a few days I asked Sam to look for you. He told me what had happened at the embassy! He said you were dead! "

"I met Sam in the hospital." told Malgorzatta.

"I ... told him that we were together in Hawaii! He was very reassuring ..."

She patted his arm again.

"There really was no way to escape the people in Washington who have guarded me. They were very good. I only had that one chance ..."

G nodded. Understanding.

He stroked with his hand over her hair.

"I've wished more than once at the hospital, Stanhopes people had done a better job on me after Sam had told me, you were dead." he said in a low voice, very seriously.

"After that wonderful time with you ... I saw no reason to go on! Now ..." he leaned toward her and kissed her.

His lips tasted of coffee.

"... I know why!"

Malgorzatta needed a long moment to capture the meaning of his words.

She wanted to smile. She did not succeed.

Quickly she put both arms around Gs neck.

"It must have been bad for you at the hospital?"

G went silent.

The look in his blue eyes rested on her face.

Malgorzatta knew him well enough to know how important his independence was to him.

"I'm sorry ... what you have to suffer because of Efremil! He has not been punished enough by the fact that he was ordered back to his country without being judged here! You also have suffered …"

"It was worth it." G said simply, was stroking with his hand on her arm as he let himself sink down to her on the carpet.

He kissed her as he gently pushed her back against the foot of the bed.

"Thank you." Malgorzatta whispered, stroking his hand softly over his chest.

Through the thin cloth she felt the warmth of his skin. She caressed with her hand up to his cheek.

"How long do you`ve been in hospital?"

She felt Gs deep inhalation.

"I went off after two weeks." he said finally.

"I felt better."

It seemed to her, he hadn`t already talked to someone else about it.

"What do you do then?" she continued softly, letting her thumb gently caressing his skin. She enjoyed the scratching of his beard stubbles.

"My apartment had been dissolved, standard procedure in such situations." G returned after a long while.

Malgorzatta could see how he enjoying the caress of her thumb against his skin.

"I could not work. I have lived in various motels. Sometimes I`ve laid just in bed for days. Or I walked through the city. In the newspaper I read that … your husband … has escaped his sentence. "

"And since when do you work again?" she said half aloud.

"I started again in October." answered G.

Malgorzatta nodded in understanding.

She leaned forward slightly and pressed a gentle kiss on his lips.

G let it happen.

She stroked slowly with the tip of her tongue gently over his under lip.

"We had a new office." G went on.

"In another building. In a whole other area. And a new director. And on the first night she has actually asked me that I should make an expense report for the past five months that I have not worked. And there is still a huge problem about my treatment costs because the shooting was related to a case of the DEA, and the NCIS does not want to pay for it! "

"Macy's no longer your boss?" inquired Malgorzatta.

G looked at her.

Shook his head.

"No."

"What happened to her?"

"She's been put somewhere!" G said.

"You know her?"

"From the hospital." replied Malgorzatta and quickly changed the subject.

"But despite the confusion with the bills you have been treated well?"

G nodded.

"It was all right. The room, the food, the hospital treatment ... but just the whole day I had time to think about that I`d lost you! "

"Were definitely difficult nine months for you, hm?" she asked him softly.

"I had only a few hours of anxiety until after the surgery. And the fear that you don`t wanted to see me after I had found you! "

"I always just wanted you."

G ran his hand lightly on her shoulder, brushing her neck. He put his fingers to her cheek and kissed her.

Malgorzatta could not help to let caress her hand under his shirt. His skin was so seductively warm, soft.

"I never want to you give back ... unless you want to go!"

"I can`t imagine in my whole life leaving you!" Malgorzatta returned, searched for his eyes.

She looked at him seriously, to underline her statement hoping, that he would understand it right.

Gs smile was small. But quiet.

"Okay."

He kissed her, letting his lips for a long moment, gently stroking over her cheek.

"Shall we go? Then we have time when we come back for the evening! "

"Good idea, G!" Malgorzatta whispered to him.

The office, where they returned the car, was only three blocks away.

During the short time doing the formalities Malgorzatta avoided any view on the surveillance cameras.

G shielded her from further views, trying to always stand directly beside or behind her, to obscure the view of the cameras on her.

"Thank you." Malgorzatta said to him as they left the flat building.

She stroked short over Gs arm.

G gave her a small smile.

"No problem! I have to make sure to get you to Vegas safe! "

Malgorzatta had to smile.

She believed to hear something like anticipation in his voice.

For herself, she still wasn`t able to believe it! But she really wanted to!  
"Thanks, G!"

He opened the passenger door of the Jaguar for her and let her get in, slammed the door behind her, walked around the car, got in on the driver's side.

Malgorzatta was about to push the seat belt buckle into the lock.

That was why she found it a bit difficult at first, to return Gs kiss as he leaned over to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, reaching for the ignition key, turned it around.

"G!"

Malgorzatta reached for his arm.

From the corner of her eye she saw movement in front of the hood of the car.

G gagged the engine off as he rammed his foot on the brake.

Malgorzatta drew a deep breath.

She looked through the windshield.

A small woman in suit was standing in the twilight in front of the car.

It was Hetty Lange.

A brooch sparkled as usual on her lapel in the light of the only a few steps away lantern.

Hetty seemed to smile.

Yet her face was relentless, as with her right index finger she made a gesture clearly prompting into Gs direction.

Gs deep breath was like a deep sigh.

"Excuse me." he said to her.

"Of course." said Malgorzatta decidedly smoothly and quickly stroked his arm.

Gs voice arise, but his movements seemed angry now as he got out of the car, went to the front of the car.

"Hetty!"

He seemed very quiet while he was moving slowly, but Malgorzatta knew it of him as careful attention.

"Mr. Callen!"

Through a gap at the open driver's door window Malgorzatta heard only snatches of the conversation.

If she relied on their intuition, Hetty was pissed.

It made the impression that she would be G's new boss.

G listened to her first in silence.

His face was expressionless.

When he replied Hetty, he shrugged his right hand momentarily toward the car.

Malgorzatta uneasily suspected, that it was about her.

Hetty glanced into her direction.

Callen shook his head.

"... My ... well-being... never set above the team!" she heard him respond violently.

Hetty made a devoted, patient move with her hand.

She looked up at G.

The two looked at each other for a moment in silence.

Then G reached into his inside jacket pocket, took something out and slammed it on the hood of the car.

It was his ID.

The sound on the metal was ugly.

Hetty looked outraged.

G reached to his back, under his jacket, Malgorzatta recognized the typical handle-a-weapon- move, stone-faceded Hetty said something to him.

G relaxed visibly. Put his weapon back. He slowly reached for his ID.

Hetty spoke to him.

Then she threw her through the windshield a quick look, turned and walked away.

G remained still for a long moment in front of the car while pocketing his badge back.

Malgorzatta saw his shoulders slowly sink.

Then he came to the driver's side of the car, sat down on the seat and pulled the door shut behind him.

Malgorzatta could see a burning red on his cheeks. His eyes sparkled. He seemed pissed off. She could even feel that he was trembling slightly.

"What happened?"

G shook his head.

He started the engine and fastened the seat belt while he let the car roll slowly from the parking lot.

In fact, he just spoke to her when they were back at the hotel.

"Please get your things! We`ll check out! "

`We will check out!` Malgorzatta reconciled once a little with the surprising situation.

He spoke naturally of both of them. Whatever was ever before him, he wanted her to be with him.

"Yes, sure, G! Goes fast! "

She had not much of it. The minimum. The new life with all its stuff she was still strange with!

G came into the bathroom while she carelessly threw her stuff in her cosmetics bag.

"I have to go back to headquarters." he said, explaining to her now.

"Hetty has just ordered me back, we have ... a case! I'm sorry! "

Malgorzatta swallowed.

She had to make an effort not to show her disappointment.

But she also felt too well that G only told her half the story.

"I'm sorry, G!"

She stopped in front of him.

"And what do we do now?"

"You`ll come with me!" said G determined.

"I do not leave you here alone. When we`re at the headquarters we can think ... "

He broke off. Looked at her. Suddenly looked confused.

"... Unless ... You will not?"

"They say: in good times and bad times, G." she replied, letting her hand slowly brushing gently over his chest.

"I`ve had a wonderful day with you! If the next few days are not so good that's okay! "

A small smile crossed Gs face.

He pulled her close, put both hands to her cheeks and kissed her.

"You're not disappointed?"

He held her face, looked at her.

Malgorzatta stroked lightly over his short hair.

"I'm terribly disappointed! But you're too, right? You worry that I'm safe! You take care of me! That is worth more than a `Yes`! And besides, my name is already `Callen`! And maybe we'll get to it? "

G shook his head in disbelief.

He kissed her.

"If you say so, I notice even more how much I've missed you! I think for the first time in my life, my glass is half full! "

"Then we keep it half full, G." she whispered back, braced himself on her tiptoes and kissed him.

"I love you, G! If it does not work out with Vegas tomorrow, it should not be! Then something else is in front of us! I`ve learned today that everything can be good! "

G kissed her.

"Okay." he said.

"Then let`s go! Hetty gave us an hour to get to the headquarters! "

Malgorzatta caused these patronizing a slightly uneasy feeling.

"How did she find you?"

"She let Eric locate me via the GPS in my car!" G replied airily.

Malgorzatta bit her lower lip.

Even this intrusion into their privacy went against her grain.

But she said nothing.

She was probably just over-sensitive at the moment.

She had paid for the room in advance and given a generous tip for not being disturbed. It helped for a quick check-out now Malgorzatta observed G while he stowed their things in the trunk.

He seemed more calmly.

And she meant what she had said, that their faith both said that the time had not yet come for their marriage!

It would be dangerous to challenge it!

Secretly, she was surprised how naturally G took her to the headquarters.

The building was secured by a high fence, with numerous surveillance cameras in the driveway, a code was to enter to open the massive gate.

The building itself had a Spanish architectural style and reminded Malgorzatta to a hacienda.

It seemed uninhabited.

On the doors and gates were hanging warning signs banning from entering.

Even here in the yard were hanging cameras.

G opened the passenger door of the car for her.

"Thank you." said Malgorzatta to him.

G slammed the door.

"Come." he said softly to her, led her to a double-bladed wooden door and opened it, let her go ahead.

Malgorzatta looked around in amazement.

Again, the Spanish style was unmistakable.

Large square stone tiles formed the floor, wooden partitions with intricately carved ornaments divided the inside into different areas, everything was open, with different windows, partly from combined types of glass in front which the darkness of night laid.

In the back left corner was a small canopy with Mediterranean tiles, under which was a kind of office, with a massive dark desk and crammed with all sorts of stuff.

The building had one more floor above.

Old round candlesticks hung from the high ceiling. A gallery made the whole first floor open out to the interior.

After its decoration it looks overweight, but after a second or even third look all things looked useful.

Malgorzatta discovered Hetty, only after close inspection, next to a large green vase next to a wooden pillar in the covered corner office.

She was unsure how to deal with her.

That she had made G so angry took her against her. And then there was the scene in the hospital where she had been so very kind and compassionate to her.

G led her gently in the direction of Hettys office.

Malgorzatta still felt his hand on her shoulder.

In the presence of Gs care she felt really little proud. He confessed to her. Probably not for the first time!

"Mr. Callen!"

One small step led up to Hetty's office, on which she stood quietly with her hands folded in front of her body and a graceful expression on her face.

"And Mrs. ... Vendulova!"

"Mali this is Hetty Lange!" G said to her.

"Hetty, this is Malin Callen! How do you know the name `Vendulova` if I may ask? "

Malgorzatta felt her heartbeat for a few seconds raise as G mentioned her new name to Hetty.

"And how she has so quickly got the name `Callen` if I may ask, even though you assured me violently, that this was your plan for tomorrow, Mr. Callen?" Hetty replied sharply to him while she took her hand and gave her a smile.

"Hello, my love!"

"Good evening, Hetty!" Malgorzatta returned and had chosen to be friendly.

Hetty was too important.

"You know each other?"

G was a brilliant observer.

"Where from?"

He looked at her questioningly.

"From the hospital." Malgorzatta answered quickly.

"If you want to be so good now and answer my question, Mr. Callen!" Hetty asked determined but friendly.

She looked at him invitingly.

"She has taken the name of the witness protection program!" G said. He seemed impatient.

Malgorzatta heard the very little pride in his voice but well received.

She had to smile a little. Stirred.

"I would like to talk later to you." said Hetty now amiable to her.

"But first I would like to brief Mr. Callen in his new case! I ask you to apologize us, please! Mr. Callen, please, would you take ... Mrs. Callen ... over to your office!"

"Please call me Malin!" Malgorzatta said quickly.

"If you allow so!" Hetty smiled.

She looked a little relieved.

"Thank you. I must confess to `Mrs. Callen `I can hardly get used!"

Malgorzatta looked at her.

She meant it as ambiguous as she had said it.

The name came hard over her lips and Malgorzatta realized, she also had problems with the idea of a wife for G.

His well-being seemed to be as close to her heart as to hers!

Hetty turned away and went to her massive desk.

"Come Mali!" G said softly and gently pulled her with him.

He led her to an area across from Hettys office, to a delimited corner with Spanish walls, in which stood four desks, two side by side.

The desk top left was cleaned meticulously, seemed impersonal.

The desk underneath was not quite so neat, even slightly playful with numerous, not so typical office stuff.

On the desk top right was a small alien figure with a big green bobble head while on the desk next to many elaborately folded paper figures were to see.

Malgorzatta had just opened her mouth to ask G, which was his desk when she saw the name tags.

Gs desk was the top left. She had suspected it.

Behind an archway, in a cozy-looking niche, stood a couch, a chair and a small side table.

G led her there and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Make yourself comfortable! I`ll be over there, with Hetty! Do you like something to drink? "

"Not at the moment, thank you, G!" replied Malgorzatta and gave him a smile as she stroked quickly over his side.

She felt uncomfortable. She still felt, that he felt bad for disappointing her. She did not want that for him.

Gs eyes wandered over her face. The look in his beautiful blue eyes were a little searching, questioning. Then he put both hands on her cheeks and kissed her.

"I'm sorry!"

Malgorzatta stroked with her hand over his arm.

"Me, too! But it should not be, my dear! "

A small smile crossed Gs face.

"We get married when the time is right, we will know when!" she whispered to him.

"I was actually pretty sure that tomorrow would be a good time for that!" G said.

Malgorzatta had to smile.

"Fine. But obviously there must be a better one! It doesn`t matter, we`ll succeed! Up there ...!

She looked at the ceiling.

"... Someone arranges everything for us! As you may have noticed! "

"Until today, I almost always had the feeling that someone up there`s just playing with me!" G said.

He quickly turned his head, looked at Hettys direction.

Malgorzatta was for seconds not sure if maybe he meant by `top` just `over there`.

She also looked there.

Hetty again was standing next to the vase and looked over to them.

It was uncomfortable.

She did not even replied Gs tenderness, as much as she enjoyed it. Not in front of his superior.

"I'll wait here for you, darling!"

She stroked rapidly across his chest.

G nodded.

Then he turned away and walked towards Hetty's office.

Malgorzatta slumped on the couch. The reference was leather.

She watched as Hetty made a brief movement with her hand in front of her desk, toward the basket chair, G took place there.

He sat there with his back to her. She could not hear here what was said over there.

Slowly, she let her eyes wander through the large room.

Looked at the ornate archways, the elaborately forged handrail and the different crafted tiles, mainly in warm orange, which gave now the inside with the darkness outside the windows, a warm atmosphere.

Some of the windows were made of frosted glass, others of small stained glass composed, artistic, elaborate, or just merely a mixture of both.

Two staircases lead at the opposite sides, where no offices were, up to the first floor.

Somewhere in here seemed to be an open water surface, she could see the reflections right in the passage.

Her eyes were heavy. She leaned her head a little to the back of the couch.

And she must have dozed off, because she was awake quite smoothly.

Malgorzatta blinked. She did not know where she was. Her neck, her head ached.

She was totally twisted on this couch. And it was really cold, although a jacket was around her upper body. It warmed little.

But it smelled wonderfully of G.

Carefully, she raised a little.

She was at the headquarters where G worked.

She blinked stronger over to Hettys office. The space behind the desk was empty.

Not a person was to see in here.

Deep darkness was still outside the windows.

It was 3.55 o`clock.

From somewhere came a muffled, steady beat.

Malgorzatta slid off the couch.

She slipped into the jacket and held it in front of the body together as she listened, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from.

The building was angled.

It was a small staircase with a few steps down, into a sport hall.

On the right was a climbing wall.

A high row of windows on the long wall opposite.

Field marks were glued onto the wooden floor. There was a basketball hoop right and fitness equipment were distributed in space.

G worked with boxing gloves on his hands on a flat cushion of fitness equipment. It was on his shoulder height and had between a pulsed display in red and green color.

Gs grey shirt was soaked with sweat, he wore a half-length sports pants, sneakers.

She`d never seen him in training.

Her sneakers on the wooden floor caused virtually no noise.

So it took a long time to G to notice her, she was almost with him, he had been so engrossed in his practice.

"Mali!."

He turned to her immediately.

His face was flushed with sweat, exhausted. Malgorzatta reached with her right hand without thinking for the towel that hung over the poles of the weight bench, and held it out to him.

"You`re training in the middle of the night?"

G ran the towel through his face.

"Can`t sleep."

He threw the towel over the machine and tried with his teeth to open the Velcro of his right glove.

Malgorzatta quickly slid her hands to his wrist and opened the tape, did the same on the left.

G slipped out. Threw the gloves inaccurate on the bench, then bent quickly to her and put a quick kiss on the cheek.

"You`re okay?"

"Yes. `Have a little headache because I have located so funny!"

She looked at G attentive as she ran her left hand to emphasize his side.

G wanted to avoid that.

"Don`t! I'm sweaty! "

"And?"

She let her grip getting little harder. G stood still.

"That does not bother me otherwise too!"

G laughed.

He put both hands on her cheeks and kissed her.

The inner surfaces of his hands were sweaty. Had a musty smell of the inside of the gloves.

Then he looked at her intently.

"What about your headache? Shall we go to a doctor? "

"Oh!" Malgorzatta wondered about the offer. She was not so squeamish!

"I`ve got a pill in my bag, I will take it later! I'd just like to have a drink before! And thank you for your jacket! "

G smiled briefly.

"I have aspirin in my desk!"

Malgorzatta felt him flinch just a little as she tried to lean on him.

Surely she had both arms slide around him.

His shirt was damp.

On the back even wet from his sweat.

"Why do you not rest, G? Why do you work out here in the middle of the night? "

"I'm not tired!" G said.

"I`ll close my eyes later a little bit! "

Malgorzatta avoided looking further into it.

"Where is Hetty?" she changed the subject first.

"She's home when she noticed that you sleep!" G said.

"She wants to talk to you later, usually she comes early! She says she wants to help you, with Washington! "

Malgorzatta looked at him.

She could imagine nothing underneath that. She had no idea how it would go on after all. She believed in their wedding, the next step before they make more decisions together. Now, at the moment, she could not think up until the next morning with the best intentions.

"Come on! We look if there`s a coffee!" G said and gently pulled her with him.

"I'd like a cup of tea, please!" Malgorzatta replied and followed him willingly.

"No problem," said G.

Malgorzatta followed him up the small staircase.

In addition to the office, in another small niche, stood a nice old sideboard, on which a large coffee maker, kettle, coffee tin, tea tin, loose tea bags, napkins, mugs, cups, spoons and sugar sachets were placed.

"We have a loose tea, a blend of Darjeeling Chrysanthemum lace and a hint licorice! Tastes good! "G said as she reached with her hand to one of the tea bags.

He made her hesitate for a moment.

"I did not know you so well versed with tea?"

G smiled at her.

Pulled her close shortly.

"Hetty has given us! She said by the tea bags you can taste the paper, and it's really true. Did you never notice that? "

"N ... o."

G turned on the kettle.

Malgorzatta grabbed one of the bags and hung it in one of the cups. Her mind was at the moment not in exotic teas

"I`ll take this first! Ehm … what's on the floor above, G?"

She leaned her head against his arm.

"Our operational area and the weapons room." replied G willingly.

"A few other rooms ... Archive, computer rooms, warehouses! I can`t show you! "

"No problem!" replied Malgorzatta.

G turned to her and looked at her questioningly.

"Are you okay?"

It was not hard for Malgorzatta to smile at him. Although she had no idea how it should go on in her life, but she had - finally - the man she loved by her side. She trusted him completely. Even with her life!

"Everything`s wonderful, G!"

"And your headache?"

He gently touched her hair with his lips.

"Can I stand when I`m next to you!"

G laughed.

He put his hand to her cheek, leaned over and kissed her.

Long, devoted.

Malgorzatta enjoyed his kiss, the play of his tongue at first silently on her lips before she finally opened her mouth a little, let him meet her tongue.

She let her hand gently stroking over his chest. Felt the damp cloth at their fingertips.

The kettle switched off with a hard click.

She dug her fingers into the grey cloth, not sure if G wanted to grab the kettle.

But he was turning around when they were both a little breathless, Malgorzatta felt his hand gently caress her hair before he did so. The water in the cup boiled, poured over the tea bag

"I'm getting a shower!" he said then.

"After that I`ll get us something for breakfast, okay?"

She looked up at him.

"Can`t we go somewhere? To a diner? "

"Hetty said: 'Do not leave the headquarters until she has contacted the security authorities in Washington connected!" G said.

His voice was gentle.

"Please, do as Hetty says! She has quite an influence in Washington ... "

Malgorzatta looked puzzled at him.

The tone in his voice made her suspicious.

G Callen, who hardly relied on other people, just referred to Hetty like a cure-all!

There at the hospital she had already wondered to find her so worried about him. And then even she hadn`t been his boss! What linked the two?

"Of course! No problem, G! "

"I'll go for a shower!"

He gave her a quick kiss on the lips, then walked past her down the short flight of stairs and disappeared into the sports hall.

Malgorzatta dipped the tea bag a few times into the hot water.

It smelled like green tea, she had not looked at what she had chosen.

It would take a few minutes. So she went to the right and searched for the water, which she had seen reflecting.

It was behind the stairs and turned out to be a small fountain in a duly decorated, with intricately crafted mosaic further courtyard.

So far, she had not noticed that the building was so nested.

The fountain was surrounded by a narrow path on three sides, had a half-height Teraccota column in the middle.

The outside of the fountain was tiled in green-gold, light blue inside and there was indirect lights, it made the clear water shimmering crystal and ensured that it casts reflections on the walls. The large water surface caused a pleasant coolness.

It was a pity that there was no furniture to sit here, it would have been nice to be able to pull back a bit here with G.

But that was probably too tempting for employees during working hours.

Slowly she walked back.

Took the bag from the cup and threw it in the trash. Sniffed at the tea.

It smelled green fresh, herbal.

She listened.

The patter of water came from very far away.

Malgorzatta took her cup and went after the sound.

It grew louder as she came into the gym and turned right there.

Carefully she opened the first door on the side.

Moist warm air struck to meet her.

On the right of the door was a vanity with three recessed basins, a large mirror wall was right behind it. It was fogged by moisture, water droplets running down it.

Gs culture bag, made from brown suede, laid here, his toothbrush and deodorant be looking out.

She noticed the worn bristles of the toothbrush. He desperately needed a new one.

There were three showers.

G was in the right one

The cabins were easily separated by simple half-height walls, the doors just at body high.

She could see Gs feet on the bright tiles, splashing white foam.

She smelled his shower gel.

She sipped her tea, put the cup on the vanity.

G opened the door a crack and looked out, searched for her eyes.

A small smile flitted across his wet face as their eyes met, drops of water glistened over his short hair.

Malgorzatta took the few steps to the door. The smile on her face came from alone when she looked at G.

"Is pleasant?"

"Yes."

G poked his head a little further out of the cabin, Malgorzatta gave him a quick kiss on his wet lips.

She felt his hand on her arm. Had to smile.

Carefully, she reached out her hand and let it slowly stroking over his back, his wet skin.

G let it happen.

Leaned closer to her, intensified his kiss.

Malgorzatta felt the scar left side of his spine. The hard line of his vertebrae straight down to the crease of his buttocks. G liked a gentle, light touch there, just only with the fingertip.

Even now, as she put no more than her index finger on his wet skin there, she heard his quiet comforting groan.

"I'm afraid it looks bad if we both want to be here a bit alone, G, isn`t it?" she whispered to him, her face left to his face so close, that her lips moved against his wet cheek.

"As you can see I would also like to be alone with you." G said.

His hand stroked warm, wet on her neck. One or two drops of water thereby cheated under the neck cut of her shirt and ran down her back.

"But this is really not possible."

"And what do we do?"

Gs hand caressed from her neck to her cheek. The wet heat of his skin was just more tempting.

"If all goes well today, maybe we can get into a hotel tonight! We must immediately begin the investigations when the others are here. Maybe a few days I will not have much time for you! But I would like that you are not so far away! "

"I also want to, G." she whispered back, caressed with her hand from his back to his hips slowly.

A cough at the door made her jump.

"Malin! Mr. Callen! Good morning! I am pleased to see that you are awake already! "

"Good morning, Hetty!" Malgorzatta felt a little scared, a little embarrassed.

"Stay right where you are!" G whispered to her quickly before he replied

"Good morning, Hetty!"

"While Mr. Callen is still busy, Malin, may I ask you then to a conversation in my office!" Hetty said politely, formally as almost always.

It was also not a request.

"Of course." Malgorzatta said.

Hetty nodded.

"Then I´ll expect you there!"

She turned away. The door closed behind her.

Malgorzatta watched G.

"Go." he said tenderly and kissed her quickly.

"She hates it when she is left to wait!"

Malgorzatta nodded.

She made the few steps to the washstand and took the towel, put it on the door before she grabbed her cup and left the room, went to Hetty.


End file.
